January 30, 2024
Yesterday saw the start of this season’s tournament and the match between the Leeward Islands and the West Indies Academy was being played at the Coolidge Ground in Antigua.
All matches in the 4-day West Indies Championship are being streamed live on the Windies Cricket channel on YouTube.
These diaries covered part of last season's game between the Leeward Islands and Trinidad and Tobago, which included details of the games Fatbear had previously seen in the Leewards.
https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2024/02/leeward-islands-hurricanes-vs-trinidad.html
Coolidge Ground
I have never seen live cricket at the Coolidge Ground, which was previously known as the Stanford Cricket Ground, which hosted matches in the tournaments held by the disgraced US businessman Sir Allan Stanford before his arrest. These included a match between a Stanford Superstars XI against an England XI, as well as two tournaments where the individual Caribbean islands competed rather than as regions.
As the ground is located adjacent to Antigua Airport, it’s Sticky Wicket Bar was used as the Executive Lounge for passengers travelling on Virgin Atlantic, as well as being open to the general public. Despite not travelling on Virgin, we used to call in prior to our departures, and on one occasion witnessed the Leewards’ squad be put through their paces prior to an upcoming match, and I got to say hello to former West Indies pace bowler Andy Roberts, who at the time was the curator of the pitches in Antigua. Naturally, given Roberts’ reputation of a mean and grumpy fast bowler, he didn’t want to engage in any trival chit-chat !
Inside Sticky Wicket were tributes to all the Antiguan players who had played for the West Indies, which in addition to Andy Roberts, at the time included Vivian Richards, Richie Richardson, Eldine Baptiste, Winston Benjaman, Curtly Ambrose, Kenny Benjamin, Ridley Jacobs and Sylvester Joseph. There were also tributes to some matches played on the island, and there was even a picture of Geoffrey Boycott, who scored the first hundred in Test cricket on Antigua !
Unfortunately, Sticky Wicket was part of the fallout from the arrest of Stanford and hasn’t been open for many years. However, the Leeward Islands have continued to play matches at the ground as well as the much larger Sir Vivian Richards stadium, which is primarily used for hosting West Indies matches.
West Indies Academy
The West Indies Academy have no formal base and were formed in 2019 to provide a platform for emerging and youth players who were not part of the traditional regional sides. Together with the Combined Colleagues and Campuses, the West Indies domestic tournaments now have eight sides participating. Home matches for the West Indies Academy in this year’s four-day domestic tournament are being held in the two stadiums in Antigua.
Grenadian Teddy Bishop has played one ODI, against Australia in 2024 but made a duck, was the current captain whilst Bajan Joshua Bishop, no relation, scored a hundred in an unofficial test against Ireland A last year. St Lucian pacer McKenney Clarke also played against Ireland A last year, whilst Bajan medium pacer Johann Layne had played for the St Kitts Patriots in the Caribbean T20 tournament.
Left-arm medium pacer Jediah Blades, also from Barbados, made his ODI debut for the West Indies in December against Bangladesh but conceded 73 runs from his 6 overs, although the Windies went on to win by 4 wickets.
Team News
Due to the current West Indies tour of Pakistan, the Leeward islands were without Keacy Carty, Alzarri Joseph, Mikyle Louis and Justin Greaves, all of whom would be available for round two. Consequently, the current selection would be under pressure to perform well to retain their places.
The Leeward Islands side was captained by the colossal Antiguan Rakheem Cornwall ( 35 wickets in 10 tests and two fifties ). Anguillan keeper Jahmal Hamilton had played one test and one ODI whilst US Virgin Islands born leg spinner Hayden Walsh had made 25 ODI and 39 T20 appearances for the West Indies. New York born middle-order batsman and left arm spinner Karima Gore had played 16 ODIS and 8 T20s for the USA whilst 17-year-old Jewel Andrew stared in last year’s tournament leading to a call-up to the West Indies ODI squad to tour Sri Lanka, although he didn’t get to make his debut.
Day 1 Summary
The West Indies Academy won the toss and invited their hosts to bat. Both sides would have been slightly disappointed by the close of play score of 290 for 6 off 90 overs for the Leewards.
The Leewards put on 72 for the first wicket until Joshua Grant, who had bagged a pair in his only other first-class match, was out for 34. They then slumped to 128 for 4, with left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop taking all four wickets, bowling a tight line on a wicket giving him a little assistance. Opener Kadeem Henry made 48, Shelton Forbes made 22 on debut, whilst Andrew was out first ball.
Gore and Hamilton rebuilt the innings, taking the score to 238 until Gore was out for 58 off the lively Layne, having mixed caution with three sixes. Walsh was out near the close for 21 enabling captain Cornwall to make an entrance, and the big man showed he had little interest in pushing quick singles, smacking three boundaries to finish the day 13 not out, whilst Hamilton had accumulated 67 runs, with 9 fours to remain undefeated at the close. For the Academy Joshua Bishop had 4 for 81 from 28 overs.
Day 2 Morning Session
The weather at the 10am local start time ( 14.00 UK ) was 27 degrees and sunny although there was a chance of thundery showers later in the day.
Layne, bowling to Hamilton, started the day with an offside wide, but had a better line next ball but Hamilton was able to shoulder arms and allow the ball through to the keeper. After Hamilton had taken a single, Cornwall struck another boundary to finish the over.
Blades opened the bowling from the other end, left arm over the wicket, and Cornwall surprised the fielders by calling for a single after Hamilton had pushed the first ball of the over wide of mid-off. Cornwall pulled the fourth ball of the over to fine leg and ambled a single, before Hamilton flashed and missed outside off-stump. The final ball of the over was pushed off his legs by Hamilton and they jogged an easy single. At the end of the over the score had moved to 299 for 6 off 92 overs.
Layne bowled a wide yorker but Hamilton missed with his attempt to squeeze behind point. The next ball was similar, but this time Hamilton managed to get the toe end of the bat to it, and the ball bounced past slip and down to the third man boundary. Layne then got a fraction of swing to beat Hamilton’s attempted drive, and continued his outside off stump line for the rest of the over. The final ball was crashed through the covers for the second boundary off the over. The score had moved to 307 for 6 and Hamilton was on 78.
Blades continued and Cornwall struck him firmly down the ground to mid-on but after thinking of taking the single they changed their minds. The next ball found the outside edge of Cornwall’s bat and the ball flew between the gap between the one slip and gully for four more. Blades dropped short and Cornwall pulled again but Dindyal at deep square was able to prevent the ball going over the boundary and keep the runs to just a single. Hamilton then steered a wide ball to deep backward point for a single, and Cornwall did something similar next ball but with a hint of an outside edge. Blades now had 1 for 94 off 22 overs and it was 314 for 6 off 94 overs.
Layne’s first ball of the next over was pitched up and Cornwall met it with a straight bat, lofting the ball over the sightscreen for six. Layne attempted a bouncer next ball, which Cornwall ramped to fine leg for one. Hamilton failed to take advantage of a wide lop hop, finding the fielder at extra cover, but found the gap in the same region for an easy single next ball. Cornwall then hammered the final ball of the over through extra cover for another four to bring up the 50 partnership. 326 for 6 off 95 overs, and the Leewards had added 36 runs from 5 over so far in the morning.
The Academy made a change to bring on Bishop, their most successful bowler from yesterday, and Hamilton pushed his first ball to deep point for an easy single. With Bishop bowling a tight line and flighted slowly through the air, Cornwall watchfully played out the rest of the over.
Layne was taken off with figures of 16-3-49-1 and debutant Michael Palmer, from St Maarten, was brought on. After an aborted run up at the first time, the first ball was nearly played on by Hamilton and no runs came from the other 5 balls for a maiden.
Cornwall pushed Bishop to long on for a single but Hamilton’s attempt to cut the third ball of the over only succeed in steering the ball to slip, and Dindyal pouched the chest high catch. Hamilton was out for 81 and Bishop had his fifth wicket. 328 for 7.
Cameron Pennyfeather was in at number 9 and was beaten all ends up by the final ball of the over. Bishop and Palmer had succeed in drying up the runs.
However, Cornwall had had enough of prodding around and slogged Palmer’s second ball high over cow corner for his second six off the morning, and then pulled a log hop a huge distance over the square leg boundary for another maximum. The next ball cramped Cornwal,l who could only prod into a gap behind point for an easy single. Pennyfeather hammered a short ball across the line which Blades at mid-on should have stopped but the ball went through his laboured dive and ran to the boundary. 17 had come from the over as the score moved to 345 for 7 over 99 overs.
Cornwall stepped back from Bishop’s first ball looking to get his fifty through the covers, but the ball turned, and keeper Carlon Bowen-Tuckett grabbed the edge at the second attempt. Cornwall was out for 49 from 42 balls. 345 for 8
Jeremiah Louis, in at number 10, was off the mark second ball with a drive to deep point, and next ball Pennyfeather attempted a reverse sweep but survived the big LBW appeal as the ball had pitched outside the leg stump. Pennyfeather attempted the same shot next ball and again missed. It was much closer to LBW but the umpire’s finger stayed in his pocket. Pennyfeather wasn’t looking comfortable against Bishop but a forward defensive saw a quick single taken for Pennyfeather to retain the strike.
Palmer was greeted with a cover drive for four by Pennyfeather but then beat the outside edge next ball. However, the third ball was short and pummelled past mid-on for four more. The final ball was short and strongly pulled but Rivaldo Clarke at mid-wicket made the stop. Palmer now had 0 for 53 off 8 overs. 355 for 8 off 101 overs.
Louis decided to sweep Bishop’s first ball from the next over but could only send the high in the air, and Palmer running from short fine leg took a difficult catch over his head running towards the boundary. Louis was out for 1 and Bishop now had 7 for 85 from 31.1 overs.355 for 9.
Colin Archibald, with a first class hundred to his name, was in at number 11 and played out a wicket maiden so it was 355 for 9 off 102 overs
Palmer continued and Pennyfeather push him into the offside, and good running brought two runs, and the next ball was pushed into the leg side for a single. Palmer finally got some reward, when Archibald’s attempted hook came off the back of the bat, and keeper Bowen-Tuckett took the catch over his head. Archibald was out for a duck.
The Leeward Islands had been bowled out in the first hour of the morning for 358 off 102.3 overs. Pennyfeather remained 16 not out and Bishop finished with 7 for 85 from 32 overs. Palmer had 1 for 58 off 8.1 overs.
West indies Academy Innings
Opening the batting for the Academy were Trinidadian Justin Jagessar and St Lucian Ackeem Auguste, whilst Jeremiah Louis from St Kitts opened the bowling from the Airport Road End. Louis had toured England with the West Indies last summer but had to leave the tour with an injury so is still to make his debut for the Windies.
The first ball swung into Jagessar but had started out well wide of the off stump, so the batsman was able to leave. The third ball also swung in but was well down the leg side so was also left. The first runs came from the fifth ball as an attempted drive found a thick edge towards the third man boundary, but Henry was able to retrieve and keep it to two runs. 2 for 0 after the first over.
The left-handed Archibald opened the bowling from the Pavilion End to the left-hand Auguste with three slips and a gully, but his second ball was a short no-ball which Auguste smacked through mid-wicket for four. The next ball was also a no-ball which Auguste allowed to travel through to keeper Hamilton. Auguste flashed at the fourth ball of the over but fortunately for him failed to make contact. The next ball was another no ball which Auguste struck firmly down the ground where Forbes made a superb stop. However, Auguste had set off for a quick single, but his partner remained in his crease. Although the throw to the keeper’s end wasn’t as good as the stop, Hamilton was able to gather, and Auguste was run out by the length of the pitch for 4 runs. 9 for 1 off 1.4 overs.
The new batsman was captain Teddy Bishop who played out the last two balls of the over. Jagessar pushed the second ball from Louis into the gap in the covers, but the running was again poor but the second run was declined just in time to enable the batsmen to get back into their ground. Bishop got of the mark with a push off his leg and Louis’s radar was again faulty as another leg side delivery was steered to fine leg by Jagessar for another single. At the end of the 3 over it was 12 for 1.
Jagessar went fishing to Archibald’s first ball of the next over, as it angled across him. Archibald was bowling a good line, but Jagessar elegantly leant into a cover drive to take two from the fifth ball. The final ball of the over struck Jagessar on the pad and the umpire slowly raised his finger. The batsman might have been a little unlucky as it looked like the ball was angling wide of the off stump. However, there is no DRS in this competition, so Jagessar had to go for 6 runs with the score 14 for 2 off 4 overs.
The new batsman was Rivaldo Clarke, from Barbados, but he was at the non-striker’s end as Bishop drove Louis down the ground for a comfortable two. Louis was bowling well but Bishop was able to squeeze the final ball of the over through the covers for 2 more. 18 for 2 of 5 overs.
Clarke got of the mark from the first ball he faced with a lovely back footed cover drive to the boundary, and the third ball was tickled off his legs to fine leg for two more. Another glance to fine leg this time only brought a single. Bishop drove firmly at the next ball but although Louis made a diving stop at mid-off the batsmen were able to take a quick single. Archibald strayed down the leg side again and Clarke this time was able to find the fine leg boundary. 31 for 2 off 6 overs
Louis began his next over with a no ball but then beat Clarke’s tentative prod outside off stump. The only run from the over was the no ball, as the score was now 32 for 2 after 7 overs.
Archibald continued to Bishop with a probing line on or outside off stump, with Bishop only able to score off the fifth ball with a single into the offside, so the Academy were now 33 for 2 of 8 overs.
With 8 minutes remaining to lunch and dark clouds starting to gather, The Leewards made a bowling change as debutant Pennyfeather replaced Louis, whose four overs had cost 11 runs. Pennyfeather was bowling a brisk medium pace, and his third ball moved away off the seam and got a faint edge through to Hamilton. The umpire raised his finger, but the batsmen couldn’t believe it and made his way very slowly off the pitch, looking back the umpire several times. The scorebook though showed that Bishop was out 8 and the Academy had slumped to 33 for 3.
In at number 5 was wicketkeeper Carlon Bowen-Tuckett, who nicely turned his second ball off his chest to the vacant midwicket gap for a single, and from the final ball of the over Clarke pushed two into a similar vacant area. 36 for 3 from 9 overs.
Spin was introduced for the final over before lunch as leg spinner Hayden Walsh replaced Archibald with a slip, short leg and a short extra cover. Bowen-Tuckett took a step down the wicket to play to the fielder at mid-off whilst the second ball appeared to be a googly with was well defended. An impressive first over ended as a maiden, and at the players went off for lunch, it was 36 for 3 from 10 overs, and the Academy trailed by 322 runs.
